英漢禮貌語文化的對比研究

IChapterOneIntroductionPolitenessisasocialphenomenon,whichexistswidelyinlanguagesofvariouscountries.Politelanguagereferstoallbehaviorsandresultsofusinglanguagethatareappropriateforpoliteness.Simplyput,itmeansspeakingpolitely.However,duetodifferentvaluesandmodesofthinking,peoplehavedifferentunderstandinganduseofpoliteness.Politelanguageisamirrorofthesociety,andwhateachofusdoesreflectstheculturalconnotationofourcountrytovaryingdegrees.Therefore,wemustpayattentiontotheuseofpolitenessindailycommunication.Politeness,asavisiblephenomenon,isnotonlymanifestedinbehavior,butalsoinlanguage.So,itisareflectionofculture.Therefore,incross-culturalcommunication,weshouldunderstandtheculturalconnotationsofdifferentcountriesandbegoodatdiscoveringtheirculturaldifferences,otherwisemisunderstandingsandembarrassmentscaneasilyariseincommunication.Theuniversalityofpolitenesshasplayedagoodroleinpromotingthesmoothprogressofcross-culturalcommunication.However,thedifferencesinpolitenessphenomenaoftenhaveagreatimpactoncross-culturalcommunication.Differentethnicgroupsandregionshavedifferentpolitelanguage,whichisconsideredareasonableuseofpolitelanguageinoneculture,butmaybeatabooinanotherculture.OnlywhenwehaveacorrectunderstandingofthevariousinfluencingfactorsofpoliteexpressionsinEnglishandChinese,canwehaveadeeperunderstandingofculturaldifferences,andcanwesolvetheculturalconflictsexistinginthecommunicationbetweenChinaandtheWest,layingagoodculturalfoundationforthecommunicationbetweenChinaandtheWest.Therefore,thispaperwillmakeacomparativeanalysisofthetwokindsofpoliteexpressionsinChinaandEnglishfromtheculturalperspective,aimingatmakingthecommunicationsmoothandimprovingtheinterculturalcommunicationabilityandconversationalskills,andeffectivelyreducingmisunderstandingsandobstaclesincross-culturalcommunication.

ChapterTwoTheConceptofPolitenessinEnglishandChineseCulturePolitenessisthenormofwordsanddeedsthatpeopleshowmutualrespectandfriendshipthroughlanguage,expression,behaviorandattitudeinmutualcommunication.Itreflectsthefashionandmoralstandardsofthetimes,andreflectsthedegreeofpeople'seducation.Althoughdifferenttimes,differentnationalitiesanddifferentenvironmentsshowdifferentformsofpoliteness,thebasiccoreofpolitenessisthesame.Politenesscanbedividedintotwoparts:politeactionandpolitelanguage.Politeactionisakindofsilentlanguage,suchassmile,nod,shakehands,applaud,etc.Politelanguageisakindofvocalaction,suchasusing“you”,“please”,“welcome”andotherhonorificwords.Politelanguagehasnocleardefinitioninlinguistics,generallydividedintobroadandnarrowsense.Inthebroadsense,politelanguagereferstoallactsofusinglanguagethatareconsistentwithpoliteness,whileinthenarrowsense,politenessreferstospecialwordsthatarereasonableandacceptableinvariouscommunicationsituations.EnglishandChinesepolitelanguageisanimportantsymbolofsocialcivilizationandplaysaveryimportantroleinimprovingtheconstructionofsocialspiritualcivilization.2.1TheConceptofPolitenessinEnglishCulturePolitenessitselfisacodeofconductwithmoralorethicalsignificanceindailylife,includingvariouseffortsmadebypeopletomaintainharmoniousinterpersonalrelationships.However,unlikeChinesepoliteness,theWestfocusesmoreonthelevelofbehaviorallanguage,andifsomeonedoesnotimplementitaccordingtonorms,itisnotgentlemanlyenough.IntheWest,thefunctionoflanguageistopersuadeandtransformothersclearly,accurately,andlogically.Theyareaccustomedtotreatingothersinaninformalandstraightforwardmanner,preferringtoexpressthemselvesandengageinopenandequalarguments.Argumentsareonlyameansofdiscerningfactsandpersuadingothers.Generally,aslongastheyareallowedwithinthescopeofpoliteness,theywillnotcauseothers'displeasure.ForWesterners,theselfoccupiesanextremelyimportantposition,andpersonalachievement,personalsovereignty,andpersonalfreedomareregardedasvirtuesandpraised.Theyadvocate“equalitybeforeGod”,pursuefreecompetition,andachieveequalityandself-reliance.“Actingstyle”ispersonalcentered,withwordsandbehavior,andastyleofhandlingaffairs.Aslongasitdoesnotharmothers,itisuptotheindividualtobeindependentandresponsibleforeverything.Therefore,Westernersbelievethatinsocialinteraction,respectingindividualautonomyinwordsanddeedsisconsideredpolite.ItispreciselybecauseofthispersonalvaluethatwhenWesternersarepraised,theydonotdeliberatelyhidetheiremotionsandarehappytoacceptpraisefromothers.ThisindividualisticvaluealsoencouragesWesternerstopursuesimplicityandclarityinverbalcommunication.Theyexpresstheirmeaningdirectlyatthebeginningofaconversationwithoutbeatingaroundthebush,andbelievethatthisstraightforwardconversationstyleisamanifestationofpoliteness.2.2TheConceptofPolitenessinChineseCultureInChina,politenessisacodeofconductandcodeofconductthatpeopleinaregionagreetowhencommunicating.Generallyspeaking,politenessbelongstothecategoryofmorality.Politenessisanimportantaspectofreflectingsocialmorality.Itpermeatespeople'sdailylife,embodiestheirmoralconcepts,andguidestheiractions.Chinaisanancientcivilization,acountryofetiquette,andhasalonghistoryofpoliteness.Modernpolitenessstillemphasizes“don't”,butitisdifferentfromthewesternpolitenessprinciplesthatonlyregulatehowpeopleusewordsincommunication,butitisricherandmoreculturallydistinctive.Thepolitenessprinciplemainlyemphasizesthelinguisticnormsthatpeoplemustuseincommunication.Theuseofpolitenessconveysrespectforothersinourdailyinteractionsandservesasabridgetoestablishfriendlyrelationships.Therefore,whendealingwithothers,weshouldtrytousepolitelanguageasmuchaspossible.Theuseofpolitelanguagewillnaturallylowerourownposition,whileelevatingothers'position,andnaturallyconveyourrespectforothers.Therefore,whentreatingothers,weshouldbepoliteandnotspeakrashly.ThisisalsoawayforustoinheritthefinetraditionsoftheChinesenation.

ChapterThreeAComparisonofDifferentPolitenessPrinciplesinEnglishandChineseCulturesPolitenessprincipleisthemostimportantlinkinpeople'sdailylanguagecommunication,animportantmeanstoformgoodinterpersonalrelationships,andalsoaresponsetopeople'sideologyandculturalbackground.Theprincipleofpolitenessmainlyemphasizesmakingtheotherpartyfeelrespectedwhilealsogainingtheirfavorduringcommunication.Generallyspeaking,thepolitenessprincipleemphasizesthedifferenceofsocialstatusinChineseculture.Atpresent,thepolitenessprinciplealsoemphasizestheuseofclassdifferencesinsociety.InEnglishculture,parallelisemphasized,aswellasindividualrights,self-realization,self-struggle,etc.InChineseculture,modesty,faceandsocialrankareveryimportant.Inthispart,facereferstothesocialdignityorpublicimagethatanindividualclaimsandisrecognizedbyothers.Whenapersongainsrecognitionandprestigethroughhistalent,hewillhaveagreatdealofface.“Givingface”and“l(fā)osingface”allrefertotheindividualaskingotherstorespecthimorhertovaryingdegrees,whichreflectsastrongsenseofpersonalself-esteem.TheChineseculturalsocietyemphasizessocialismandprotectstheinterestsofthegroup,societyandregion.Englishemphasizesindividualrightsandinterests.Therefore,inBritishculture,respectingpersonalspaceandfreedomofmovementistobepolitetoothers.3.1PolitenessPrincipleinEnglishCultureTheanalysisofpolitenessprinciplesinEnglishhastraditionallybeenmorefromtheperspectiveofpragmatics.ThelinguistLeechhasmadegreatcontributionsinthisregard.Beforediscussingthepolitenessprinciple,weshouldfirstmentionthecooperativeprincipleofGrice,anAmericanlinguist,thatis,inconversation,bothpartiescooperatewitheachothertoachievethegoalofsuccessfulcommunication.Grice'scooperativeprincipleprovidesamodelforsmoothcommunication,butitcannotexplainwhypeopleoftenignoretheseprinciplesindailycommunication,andconversationalimplicaturetheorydoesnotexplainwhypeopleoftentendtocommunicateindirectly.Inordertomakeupfortheshortcomingsofthecooperativeprinciple,Leechputforwardthepolitenessprinciple,namely,theprincipleofappropriatenessandcompassion,theprincipleofpraiseandhumility,andtheprincipleofagreementandcompassion.Amongthesethreeprinciples,theprincipleofproprietyandgenerosityisthemostfundamentalone,becauseproprietyandgenerosityareusedforinstruction,andinstructionisthemostpolitebehavioramongallkindsofillocutionarybehaviors.Thepolitenessprincipletellsusthatinordertoachievesuccessfulcommunicationandmaintaingoodsocialrelations,weshouldminimizetheexpressionofimpoliteviews.3.1.1RulesofDecencyandGenerosityThecriterionofdecencyandgenerosityisoneofthecriteriaproposedbyLeechinthestudyofpolitenessprinciples,Itisthebasisofpolitenessprinciple.FromLeech'sresearch,theprincipleofproprietyandgenerosityismainlyappliedtospeechactssuchasexpressingrequests,ordersoradvice,andprovidinghelp,Becausethesespeechacts,inparticular,illocutionaryactsexpressingrequestsandorders,itisconsidered"impolite".Therefore,itisthebehaviorthatneedstobepoliteandcanbestreflectpoliteness.Amongthecriteriaofproprietyandgenerosity,proprietymeanstominimizetheexpressionofviewsthatarenotbeneficialtoothersincommunication,thatis,tobenefitothersasmuchaspossible.Forexample,indifferentsocialsituations,peopleneedspecificwordstocommunicate.Ifyouspeakwithoutregardtooccasions,youwillonlymakejokes.Therefore,thelanguageweneedtousewillalsochangewhenfacingdifferentpeople.Incommunication,wetakeintoaccounttheidentityoftheotherpersonandtheirrelationshiptoourselves,andthenchoosetherightwordstoexpressourideasproperly.Inthiscode,generositymeansgivingmoretoothers.Indailycommunication,itispolitetostriveforthebestinterestsofothers.Butatthesametime,don'tmakeitfeellikecharity.3.1.2RulesofPraiseandHumilityIntheprinciplesofpraiseandhumility,praisemeanstominimizetheexpressionofderogatoryviewsonothers,thatis,topraiseothersmore.Praiselanguagemainlyreferstocomplimentlanguage.Humilitymeanstominimizetheexpressionofopinionsthatpraiseyourself,thatis,toderogatefromyourselfasmuchaspossible.Thesetwoprinciplesareaboutthewayandattitudeoflookingatothersandyourself.Chinesecultureemphasizesmodesty,whilewesterncultureemphasizesstrategy.Theprincipleofmodestyrequirespeoplenottopraisethemselvesandnottotrytobelittlethemselves.Forexample,whensomeonepraisesyourhandwritingandsays“youwritewell”orwhenpeoplepraiseyourworkability,theysay“yourworkabilityisverystrong”.Chinesepeopleusuallyanswer“whereandwhere”or“no,notgoodenough”toshowmodesty.Inwesterncountries,peopleusuallyacceptpraisewith“thankyou”toavoidembarrassment.3.1.3CodeofAgreementandCompassionIntheprincipleofagreementandcompassion,agreementsmeanstominimizetheexpressionofinconsistentviewswithothers,thatis,tomaximizetheidentityofbothsides.Compassionshouldminimizetheexpressionofviewsthatareemotionallyopposedtoothers,thatis,trytoincreasetheresonanceofbothsides.Westernerswillsaysorryorpartiallyaffirmtheotherparty'spointofviewbeforeexpressingdifferentopinions,suchas:A:It'sagoodday,isn'tit?B：Yes,butthetemperatureisalittlebitlow.AlthoughBdoesnotfullyagreewithA'spointofview,heaffirmsfirstandthenputsforwardhisownpointofview.TheChinesepeopledon'tpaymuchattentiontothispoint.Inmostcases,theyexpresstheirviewsdirectly,andsometimestheywillgetflushed.Thisistheso-calledprincipleofconsistency.Secondly,forexample,whenweencounterafavoritedresswhileshopping,butthepriceisnotappropriate,wemaysay,“Thedressisgood,butthepriceisabitexpensive.”Theshoppingguidewillanswer,“Yes,ifIwereyou,Iwouldhavethesamefeeling.Everyonewantstospendlessmoneytobuygoodthings.”However,youhavegreattemperamentwhenwearingthisdress.Clotheshaveaprice,temperamentispriceless,andwearingclothesyouliketoworkwillmakeyoumoremotivated.Inthisconversation,inthefaceofthecustomer'sperceptionthatclothesaretooexpensive,thesalespersonstrategicallymaintainsconsistencywiththecustomer'sperception,doesnotcontradictthecustomer,andstrivestobeconsistent.Then,onthebasisofconsistency,thesalespersonskillfullyproposeshisownviewpointtopersuadethecustomerandwintheirfavor.3.2PolitenessPrincipleinChineseCultureInrecentyears,Chinahasmaderemarkableachievementsinthestudyofpolitenessprinciple.StartingfromthediachronicbackgroundandcommunicationcharacteristicsofChina,thestudyshowsthemostimportantcharacteristicsofChineselanguageandcultureexchangeinChina,namelyrespect,enthusiasm,modestyandelegance.ThestudysummarizesthepolitenessprinciplesthatareinlinewithChina'snationalconditions,namely,theprincipleofbelittlingoneselfandrespectingothers,theprincipleofelegance,theprincipleofseekingcommongroundandthemoralprinciple.3.2.1Self-denigrationMaximSelf-denigrationmaximisthepolitestphenomenonwithChineseculturalcharacteristics.Thiscriterionrefersto“belittling”and“humility”whenreferringtooneselforthingsrelatedtooneself;and“l(fā)ifting”whenreferringtothelistenerorthingsrelatedtothelistener.“Abandoningoneselfandrespectingothers”isrootedintheculturalsoilofChinafor5000years.InChina's2000yearsoffeudalsociety,maintainingthehierarchicalorderoftheupperandlowerranksisthefundamentalruleoftheworld.Atthesametime,thishierarchicalorderisalsothestandardof“etiquette”.Accordingtotherequirementsof“etiquette”,therewasadistinctionbetweenupperandlowerranks,andthewaypeoplebehaved,spokeandtalkedshouldbeinlinewiththeirsocialstatus.Whattosay,whatnottosay,howtosayit,hownottosayitalldependsonsocialstatus,sothatwordscanflowsmoothly,sothatcommunicationcanbesmooth.3.2.2EleganceCriterionElegancecriterionistospeakelegantlyandpolitely.Theprincipleofeleganceistousemoreelegantwordsandprohibitobscenewords;Usemoreeuphemismandlessdirectness.Thisprinciplereflectsthe“speakers”languageaccomplishmentandculturalaccomplishment.Indailyconversation,speakingitselfisusedtoconveythoughtsandfeelingstopeople,sothemannerandexpressionofspeakingareimportant.Slowdown,enunciateclearly,bekind,patient,andmodest.Forexample,addressingtheotherpersonas“you”,“sir”,“miss",etc.;using“yoursurname”insteadof“whatisyoursurname”,andusingmorehonorific,modest,andelegantlanguagecanreflectaperson'sculturalliteracyandgoodmoralcharacterofrespectingothers.3.2.3SimilarityCriterionSimilaritycriterionisthatthespeakerandthehearerstrivetobeharmoniousandconsistentinmanyaspects,andtrytomeetthedesireoftheotherparty.Whenpeoplehavetocriticizeothersorexpressdifferentopinions,thestrategyofimplementingtheprincipleofseekingcommongroundisoftentopointoutandaffirmthecommongroundofbothsides,savefacefortheotherside,andthenraisetheotherparty'sshortcomings,whichnotonlyachievesthegoalofcriticismandeducation,butalsoiseasyfortheotherpartytoaccept.Whenimplementingspeechactssuchasgiving,inviting,andrequesting,thespeaker'sfaceisthreatenedtoacertainextent.Atthispoint,thelistenershouldadopttheprincipleof“deferenceisbetterthanobedience”inordertosavefaceforthespeaker.Theprincipleofseekingcommongroundcanresolvemanyconflictscausedbydifferentopinionsinourlife.3.2.4CodeofEthicsThemoralcodereferstominimizingthecostpaidbyothersandmaximizingthebenefitstoothersintermsofbehaviormotivation.Intermsofwords,trytoexaggeratethebenefitsofotherstoyourself,andtrynottoexplainyourefforts.ThisisgenerallyconsistentwiththegenerousprincipleofBritishandAmericanculture.Forexample,afterhelpingothersgetpraisefromothers,theyoftensay“thisiswhatIshoulddo”,“alittlething”,“l(fā)iftafinger”,etc.Whengettinghelpfromothers,theyoftensay“Thankyousomuch”,“I'msorrytowastesomuchofyourprecioustime”,etc.TherearesimilarexpressionsinBritishandAmericanculture,suchas“Youarewelcome”,“It'sagreatpleasuretodoso”,“Iamverygladtohelpyou”,and“Thankyouverymuchforyourhelp”.

ChapterFourDifferencesintheUseofPolitenessinEnglishandChineseCulturesPolitelanguageisanimportantpartofthelanguagesystem.Politelanguagenotonlyhaslanguagecharacteristics,butalsoreflectsthetraditionalcultureoftheChinesenation.ItisofgreatsignificancetoexplorethedifferencesbetweenEnglishandChinesepolitelanguageinteachingChineseasaforeignlanguage.TheChinesepolitenesslanguagesysteminvolvesallaspectsoflanguage:vocabulary,grammar,semanticsandpragmatics.LearningChinesepolitelanguagecanexpandChinesevocabulary,suchasvariouspoliteexpressions.ChinesepolitelanguageisquitedifferentfromEnglish.Asingle“please”hasmanydifferentusages.Indifferentcontexts,therearedifferentpolitelanguages.Weshouldbegoodatjudgingwhatkindofpolitelanguagetouseaccordingtodifferentlanguageenvironments.4.1TheDifferencesofAddressFormsIntheprocessofverbalcommunicationbetweenpeople,themostfrequentlyusedandwidelyusedwordsareaddressforms.Ithasaverysensitiveresponsetointerpersonalrelationships.Ontheonehand,itcanremindtheotherpartyoftheformalstartofthecommunicationprocess.Ontheotherhand,itcanmakethecommunicatorrealizetherelationshipbetweenhimselfandthecommunicationobject,andensurethesmoothprogressofthefollow-upconversation.Thispapermainlyusesthepragmatictheoriesrelatedtoaddressforms,suchastherelevanceandindependencestrategiesinthepolitenessprinciple,theappropriatenesscriterion,themodestycriterion,thederogatoryandrespectfulcriterion,andtheaddresscriterion,andmakesadetailedcomparativestudyofthepragmaticdifferencesbetweenEnglishandChineseaddressformsbyapplyingspecifictheories.ThestudyfoundthatChineseaddresstermsmostlyreflecttheindependentstrategy,whileEnglishaddresstermsgenerallyusetherelevancestrategy,whichismainlyreflectedinthepragmaticcomparisonbetweenpersonalpronounsandkinshipterms;Chineseaddressformsstrictlyfollowtheprincipleofpropriety,payattentiontotheprincipleofmodestyandbelittleoneselfandrespectothers.Thecommonlyusedtitleaddressformsandcomplexkinshipaddressformsaretheembodimentofthisfeature.However,Englishaddressformshavedifferentemphasisonthesestandards,andmoreemphasisisplacedonindividualindependenceandequalityofinterpersonalrelations.Therefore,Englishaddressformsfollowtheprincipleofrespectingothersbutnotbelittleoneself.4.1.1ConciseEnglishAddressFormFirstofall,takingtheaddressformsamongrelativesasanexample,theaddressformsofrelativesintheEnglishlanguagearelessthanthoseintheChineselanguage.ThereareveryrichandcomplexaddresssystemsofrelativesintheChineselanguage,whilethesystemsofrelativesintheEnglishlanguageisnotsocomplex;therefore,incross-culturalcommunicationbetweenChinaandBritain,theaddresssystemsofrelativesoftenexposesomeproblems.Forexample,Linda'sbrotherorLily'ssister,inEnglish,brotherdoesnotspecificallyrefertohiselderbrotheroryoungerbrother.Similarly,sisterdoesnotspecificallyrefertohiseldersisteroryoungersister.However,thereisarichsystemofkinshipaddressinChinese,withcountlesswaysofaddressingrelatives.Forsister,Chinesehasthemeaningofelderfemalecousin,youngerfemalecousin,andcousinsister.TherearesomesimilaritiesbetweenChineseandEnglishinthisstatement,butChineseoftenusethiskindofaddresstoexpresspoliteness,butinEnglish-speakingcountries,relatives,friends,neighborsandfamilymembersoftencalltheirnamesdirectly,whichisreallyrareinChina.Chinesepeoplegenerallyhave"nicknames",andpeopleoftencallnicknamestoshowkindnessamongrelativelycloserelativesorfriends,insteadofcallingthembyfirstname.4.1.2HierarchicalChineseAddressFormIngovernmentagenciesandtroops,rankisaveryimportantconsiderationinaddressingothers,forexample,inthegovernmentagencies,“governor”,“mayor”,“director”,“sectionchief”,“countyhead”,“villagehead”,“secretary”and“director”arecommonappellations.Weusuallyaddthesurnameoftheaddresseebeforetheseappellations,suchas“governorSun”,“mayorLi”,“secretaryZhao”,etc.However,iftherankofthepersontobeaddressedisdeputygovernor,deputymayor,etc.,itisoftennecessarytoremovetheword“deputy”whenaddressingthesepeople.InChinese,suchaformofaddressindicatingthelevelplusthesurnameoftheaddresseeiswidelyused.Iftheydonotaddtheirofficialtitlewhenaddressingcertainofficials,itmayalsocausetheirdissatisfaction;InEnglish-speakingcountries,weseldomseeanofficialreferredtoas“ChiefSmith”,“ManagerJohn“or“Principalgreen”;thereareonlyafewwordsthatexpressofficialtitlesthatcanbeusedtoexpresstitles,suchasdoctors,judges,governors,mayors,etc.,butthesewordsareoftennotusedwiththenameofthepersonbeingaddressed,justlikeprofessors.4.2TheDifferencesofComplimentsCompliments,alsoknownaspraises,arehighlyusedinhumancommunication.Inabroadsense,complimentsareapositiveevaluationofpeopleorthingsinsocialintercourse;Specifically,thespeakerdirectlyorindirectlypraisesobjectsotherthanhimself.Complimentsareoftenreferredtoasthe“l(fā)ubricant”ofsocialcommunication,whichcanbeusedtopraiseandencourage,openthetopic,andhelpbuildharmoniousinterpersonalrelationships.TheresponsemodeofChinesecomplimentsismorelikelytoadoptrefusalandhumilitystrategiesinresponse.Incontrast,Englishcomplimentsaremoreinfavoroftheresponsemodeofapproval.Infact,almostallWesternerswillusetheshortanswer“Thankyou”whenansweringcompliments,andtrytoavoidfurthercommentsonthecontentofcompliments.WhenChinesepeoplerespondtocompliments,eveniftheyrespondpositivelytocompliments,theywillfollowupwithsomemodestexplanatorywords.4.2.1ConsistentEnglishComplimentInBritishandAmericanculture,peoplehavetheideathat“allmenarebornequal”.Asthesayinggoes,“Ifworkinghard,evenacowboycanbePresident.”Whilerespectingothers,peoplewillalsopayattentiontoprotectingtheirownrightsandnotallowotherstoinfringetheirownrights.Therefore,ininterpersonalcommunication,BritishandAmericanpeoplealwaysconsciouslyadheretotheprincipleof“consistency”fromtheperspectiveof”bothsidesareequal.”4.2.2UtilitarianChineseComplimentInChineseculture,themaincontentofcomplimentsisnotintheappearance,butintheinternalandpersonalaspects,suchasmorality,cultivationandintelligence.Thiskindofcomplimentfirstvaluestheinnerspiritualqualityacquiredthroughpersonaleffortsthedayaftertomorrow.Whencomplimentingawoman'sappearance,sheisusuallypraisedforhernaturalbeautyof“carvingwateroutofhibiscusnaturally”.Nottheresultofhereffortstodressup.Andinthecontentofcompliments,theinnerspiritualqualityfarexceedstheouterappearance.Complimentsaboutabilitiesandachievementscanbecarriedoutbetweensuperiorsandsubordinatesandbetweenpeoplewithdifferentsocialstatus,buttheirfunctionsaredifferent.Acomplimentfromanolderpersontoayoungerpersonoracomplimentfromahigherleveltoalowerlevelisusuallyaformofevaluationorpraise;Whileyoungerpeoplecomplimentolderorlowerlevelpeopletocomplimenttheirsuperiors,itisusuallytowintheirfavor.4.3TheDifferencesofApologiesTheexpressionsofapologyinbothEnglishandChinesearecomplexanddiverse,andthechoiceofapologyshouldbedeterminedaccordingtothespecificcontextcharacteristics.Theexpressionofapologyisveryimportantinapology.Wemustlearnhowtochoosedifferentapologyexpressionsindifferentapologyplaces,forexample,IntheuseofEnglishandChineseapologies,“Iamsorry,excuseme,etc.”isbasicallyused.Butwhatmanypeopledon'tknowisthat“Iamsorry”meanssimplesympathyorapologytoothers,while“excuseme”meanswordsthataresaidwhentheywanttoarousetheattentionofsomepeopleormayinterferewithothers'affairs.ButthisisexactlythesamethingbetweenEnglishandChineseapologyexpressions.Ofcourse,therearealsoexpressionssuchas“Iapologize”and“Forgiveme”inEnglishapologies.InChineseapologies,besides“I'msorry”,therearealsoexpressionssuchas“apologizetoyou”and“I'msorry”.Indifferentapologycultures,whenthedegreeofoffenseisrelativelylow,theapologylanguageisrelativelysimpleandclear.However,inChineseapologies,“sorry”ismorefrequentlyused,whileinEnglishapologies,“Pardonme”isalsousedmorefrequently.4.3.1WidespreadEnglishApologyThemotivationofapologycommunicationinthecontextofEnglishculturetendstobemorecourteous.Theapologist,outofrespectfortheoffended,hopestorestorethedignityofthe